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(NoModel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. THORNTON.

BIT POR HORSES.

No. 314,081. Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

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(No Model.)

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. BIT FOR HORSES. No. 314,081. Patented Mar. 1'7, 1885.

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A. THORNTON.

BIT FOR HORSES.

N0. 314,081. Pantelled Mar. 17, 1885.`

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` UNiTED STATES AMDEE THORNTON, CF CHELSEA, COUNTY OE MIDDLESEX, ASSIGNOR CF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM PAINE, OE 2 GANDENROAD, CLAPHAM, COUNTY OF SURREY, ENGLAND.

BIT FOR HORSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,081, dated March 17, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom, tm/ay concern:

Be it known that l, AMDE THORNTON, Baron de Mouncie, of 44 Rawlings Street, Chelsea, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented cert-ain new and useful ImproVements in Bits for Horses, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide simple and efficient means by which young i@ and spirited or hitherto unmanageable horses may be controlled and driven at a steady pace, and be preventedfrom bolting. Manyzkinds of bits and systems of bitting have been devised to effect these results; but for the most r 5 part they are ineffectual for the purpose, or, when effectual, are so punishing and cruel in their action as to spoil the temper and harden or permanently injure the mouth of the animal.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction and arrangement of bits by which I am enabled to dispense entirely with a curb-chain and toV apply and distribute the pressure exerted by the reins in such a way upon the nose, mouth, and jaws of the horse as will afford increased facilities for checking and guiding his movements, and permit of turning him sharply without risk of injuring or hardening the 3o mouth. I also provide means, in the case of confirmed pullers, or horses addicted to bolting, for speedily breaking them of the habit without punishing them or injuring `them in any way. I l To this end my invention consists of a bit in which the cheeks are connected by a pair of bars of any suitable material, but preferably of smooth round steel forming the mouthpiece, which bars are capable of a certain 4o amount of playin slots or guides formed to receive them in the cheeks. This construction and arrangement of parts permits great independence of movement to the said cheeks `under the action of the reins in riding or driving, and insures a smooth and variable bearing-surface within the horses mouth, which prevents any tendency to hardness or cutting. The independence of movement in the two 'cheeks of the bit may be, and -preferably is, increased by forming each cheek intwo parts, 5o connected somewhat loosely by a pivot-pin, which will allow a slight endwise play of the two portions of the cheek, and further ease the bit in the horses mouth when pressure by the reins is relaxed. For pulling-horses this 55 bit is, in addition to the movable bars, fitted with a small piece of net or its equivalent some three inches by five in size, which is securely attached by leather or cord to the cheeks or to the movable bars connecting 6o them, so that when in use the said piece ot net or its equivalent will lie flat or loosely atlength within the mouth, and may be played with by the tongue of the horse, promoting the iiow of salivaand offering no inconvenience or discomfort to the animal, but which, when the bit` is pulled by the reins, will be brought toward the back` of the throat, and, producing a tendency to retch, will cause the l relaxation and iiexion of the muscles of the 7o throat and neck and bring the horse well under control.

In order to take all strain off the corners of the mouth and to prevent the horse becoming hard-mouthed or injured by the sudden 1 or improper pulling or jerking of the reins, the nose-band is enlarged infront, and provided with extension-pieces, in the form of' side straps,eXt-ending downward and rearward to the cheeks of the bit, to which they are secured at a point rather below the ends of the upper movable bar; or the said side straps may be attached to the reins at a point close to the point where the latter are attached to the cheeks by means of a bar, buckle, or link, a short strap being also buckled behind the lower jaw. i

In some cases, especially for what are known as star-gazcrs,77 the side straps of the noseband may be set low down, or the nose-band itself may be filled with a strip or strips of soft flexible material-such as chamois-leather, silk, or cloth-attached at its lower edges by straps or cords to the cheeks of the bit, and by this means, when pulling on t-he bit, pressure will be applied to the nostrils, and t-he horse to relieve itself will naturally lower` its head, and in a short time lose the habit.

The nature of my invention will be understood on reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front elevation of a bit constructed according to my invention, and fitted with a flexible piece of net or its equivalent, for use with pulling horses or those which have a tendency to bolt. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 8 is a perspective viewof the same, illustrating the independence of movement of the cheeks and movable bars of the bit, the piece of net being removed for the sake of clearness. Fig. 4. isa side elevation of a bit, the cheeks in this case each consisting of a single piece of metal instead of two members connected by a pivotpin. Fig. 5 is a side view of so much of a horses head as will show the position of the several parts and the mode of attaching them to the bridle and reins.

In these figures the same letters of reference indicate like or corresponding parts.

A A are the cheeks of the bit, B B the movable bars constituting the mouthpiece,

and C the piece of net or equivalent flexible material for use with pullers and bolters. The cheeks A A for ordinary use are each made in two parts linked together, as shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 5. The upper part, a, forms a loop by which the bit is attached to the cheek-strap D, (see Fig. 5,) and this loop is connected with the main portion of the cheek by a pivot-pin, a', which passes through aslot in the main portion of the cheek', and has a slight vertical play therein for the purpose of easing the upper bar, B, of the mouthpiece in the horses mouth. The ends of this upper bar, B, are mounted loosely in the cheeks A A', so as to be capable of vturning therein, and are held in position in the cheeks by shoulders b and enlarged ends or heads b or by equivalent means. The bar B is similarly formed and mounted, but, in addition to an axial movement in the said cheeks, it is free to slide up and down in a longitudinal slot, E, formed in the said cheeks. It will thus be seen that the cheeks A A are loosely connected by the bars of the mouth-piece B B, and while held apart and substantially parallel the one to the other are capable ot' great independence of movement under the influence of the reins controlled by the rider or driver. Moreover, the bars B B of the mouth-piece have also great play within the mouth, affording an ever -varying bearingsurface, and inducing the horse to champ the bit freely, and promoting thevflow of saliva, and this effect is heightened by the addition of the exible attachment C ofnet or its equivalent, -which hangs quiet and at length within the mouth, and presents no inconvenience to the animal so long as it is not pulling or bolting. Should, however, the horse begin to pull or bolt, the'said flexible attachment can, by reason of the peculiar construction and action of the cheeks and mouthepiece of the bit, be brought toward the back ofthe mouth and throat, and, by producing a tend`V ency to retch, will cause a relaxation of the muscles and the flexion of the neck, thereby bringing the horse again completely' under the control of the driver.

The loops a in the upper part of the cheeks A A are preferably pivoted thereto, for the purpose of making the bit easier for the horse and assisting the independent movements of the said cheeks under the influence of the reins F, which may be attached thereto, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, at or near the pair of movable bars B B, or to loops in the lower part of the cheeks, as indicated in dotted lines in that figure. For horses requiring to be more powerfully bitted the loops a are made in one with the cheeks A A, as shown in Fig. 4, the reins being connected to the loops in the lower ends of the cheeks or to loops or bars at or near the middle of their length. f

rllhe bit is attached to the bridle, as shown in Fig. 5. The cheek-straps D are fastened to the loops a a in the cheeks A A ofthe bit, the nose and throat bands G G being connected to the cheek-straps D, as usual. The noseband G, however, is preferably formed with au enlarged front or central portion, g, from which extend two small nose-straps. g, one on either side of the head, and which straps may be fastened to loops or eyes formed in the cheeks of the bit, or passed through loops or eyes or around bars carried by the reins, as is illustrated in Fig. 5, so that when the reins Vare suddenly pulled or jerked the strain shall not fall upon the tender corners of thehorses mouth, but will be borne by the nose-straps and nose-band.l By suitably arranging these nose-straps they may be caused to slightly compress the nostrils when the reins are tightly pulled, and the horse to relieve itself of the pressure will naturally lower his head. The same result may be obtained by using a small strip of soft flexible material-such as silk or cloth of any suitable color-supported by the nosevband and attached to the bit by cords or straps, and this tends still more to compress the nostrils and prevent star-gazing.77

The above-described arrangement of nosestraps or their equivalent for compressing the nostrils when the reins are pulled, serves also to retain the cheeks A A of the bit in their proper position, and if sufficiently strong and tightly drawn afford, when used with the pivoted loops a a, a powerful fulcrum around which the main body of the bit may be turned.

This method of hitting horses renders unnecessary the use of a curb, and affords great fai cilities for suddenly checking or turning the horse sharply without injuring or hardening his mouth, and, owing to the independent movements of the cheeks A A', the horse may be controlled or guided with facility, since by pulling onone rein more than the other the IIO lower end of one cheek can be caused to press against the lower jaw on one side and the Vby'an expansion mouth-piece composed of a pair of movable bars which may be made to close and assume an oblique or nearly horizontal position within the mouth, ormay be drawn backward in the mouth vertically, or nearly so, one above the other, according to the point of attachment of the reins and the requirements of the case.

In some instances the lower bar, B', may be hinged in its center, after the manner of a snaflle, or it may be slightly curved to suit peculiar conformations of mouths. s

For strong pullers and bolters l prefer to use the bit with cheeks formed each of a single piece of metal, in combination with the flexible mouth-piece of net or its equivalent.

By this improved system of bitting, horses hitlierto deemed unmanageable may be safely ridden or driven in a few weeks.

Having thus described the nature of my invention of improvements in bits for horses,77 and explained in what manner the same may be carried into practical eifect, l wish it to be understood that l claim- 1. In combination with the nose-band-and cheek-straps of the bridle, my improved bit, consisting of the metal cheeks A A', rigid bars B B', constituting the mouth-piece connecting said cheeks and movable thereon, a iieXible piece of net or its equivalent, C, and side straps, g', or their equivalent, for retaining the bit in place, and compressing the nostrils when the bit is pulled by the reins, substantially as and for the purpose-set forth.

2. ln a bit for horses, the combinatiomwith a metal mouth-piece and cheeks capable of independent motion, of a piece of nets-such as C or its equivalentadapted to lie at length within the mouth when the hors/'e 'is going quietly, and to be drawn to the back of the throat when the position of the bit is changedby the reins, and thereby check any tendency to pulling or bolting.

3. In abit forhorscs, the combinatiomwith cheeks A A', loosely mounted upon a pair of bars, B B', constituting the mouth-piece, of the loops or eyes a, pivotally connected to the upper ends of said cheeks,whereby the independence of movement of the two sides of the bit is increased, substantially as set forth.

4. In a bit for horses, the combination,with a pair of slotted cheeks, A A', capable of independent motion, and each formed of two parts loosely articulated or connected by a pivot-pin or its equivalent, of a pair of bars, B B', constituting the mouth-piece, of which one is free to rotate only and the other to slide in slots longitudinally of the cheeks, as well as to rotate, for the purpose of obtaining a smooth rolling and ever-varying bearing-surface within the horses mouth, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with cheeks A A' Vand movable bars B B', constituting an expanding and contracting mouthpiece, of the side straps, g', or their equivalent, secured to or forming part of the nose-band G, and adapted to take the strain produced by suddenly jerking or pulling the reins, which would otherwise fall upon the mouth-piece of the bit, and to compress the nostrils of the horse and prevent star-gazing, substantially asset forth.

6. The`combination,with a loosely-mounted bar or bars of smooth steel or equivalent material, serving as a mouth-piece, of a'pair of cheeks-such as A A'-having linked upper ends, and adapted to be moved independently by the reins, and be made to bear, respectively on the nose or upper jaw on one side and on the lower jaw on the opposite side, substantially as set forth.

7. Ina bit for horses, the combination,with the cheeks-such as A A'wand the reins D, secured thereto, of a flexible nose-piece or pair of straps attached at one end to the nose-band G and at the other to the said cheeks or to the reins, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a bit for horses, a mouth-piece consisting of a pair of smooth bars of steel or other suitable material, loosely mounted in the cheek-pieces of the bit, and capable of mutual approximation and separation in parallel or oblique positions, and also of an individual rolling or axial motion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

AMEDEE THORNTON.

IOO 

